Keys to Lasting Weight Loss, Part II

Just after I finished writing about the Three Keys to Lasting Weight Loss, I came across the latest edition of US Magazine featuring Janet Jackson on the cover. The headline blares, "J.J. loses 60 pounds in 4 months!" and tells readers that inside, they can find out exactly how she did it.

Naturally, I had to read the article and what I found was pretty much what I had expected: a crash diet coupled with intense exercise. What I'm here to tell you is that this is NOT the way to go and here's why...

In the article, Ms. Jackson reveals the lifelong struggle she has had with her weight and if you have ever followed her career, you have seen her weight fluctuate significantly. Prior to this 60 pound weight loss, she had packed 180 pounds on her 5'4" frame and this was only one of many cycles she has been on in her life.

I skimmed the article to find details of the diet and exercise plan that caused her latest dramatic weight loss. I found that her nutritionist has her eating 1,150 - 1,450 calories per day and her trainer "runs her ragged up to six days a week".

Hmmm... It's no wonder why Janet never seems to be able to SUSTAIN her weight loss! That certainly doesn't sound like a program that anyone can maintain for life.

I am a big fan of Oprah Winfrey and I also find her personal struggle with weight loss to be fascinating. Over the past 20 years, we have seen her weight fluctuate by close to 100 pounds, up and down and up the scale again. Each time she loses weight, she proclaims to the world that she has finally discovered "it" - the secret or key to her weight loss which will keep it off, once and for all.

I've noticed a pattern, though, to each "successful" attempt she has had. Whatever method she has used has barely seemed to be sustainable! An early attempt back in the 80's was impressive. To unveil her new figure and weight loss secret, she wheeled a wagon of fat (to exactly represent the pounds she lost) onto the stage. She looked great and the visual representation made an impact but how was it that she lost the weight? A liquid diet. How long did it take for her to gain it back plus even more? Not very long.

Her most recent "successful" attempt looked like it could again be "the one". She lost a bunch of weight and seemed to be committed to her program. However, as I tuned into her show last week, she was on-air confessing that while she was working on a program in Africa, she completely lapsed on the diet/exercise plan and had put on a bunch of weight. The confession didn't surprise me. Her latest weight loss plan was so restrictive that even I didn't feel like I could (or wanted to) keep up with it! Two workouts a day, 6 days a week; NO alcohol whatsoever, NO "white" stuff (sugar, flour, potatoes, starch, processed/refined carbs, or anything that looked white) whatsoever; NO eating after 7:30 pm, etc. With so many restrictions and such a hard-core workout schedule, it's no wonder that it failed to give her the LASTING results that she craves!

I am not trying to bad-mouth Oprah Winfrey or any other celebrity who has publicly struggled with their weight. In fact, I empathize with them! These people are living proof that losing weight is HARD WORK and having them in the public eye allows us to learn from their mistakes.

The biggest mistake that I see in these approaches is that every time, it is unbalanced. In order for weight loss to last, your plan must be realistically balanced with your lifestyle so that you enjoy sustaining it for the rest of your life. It simply isn't true that losing and then maintaining a weight loss is quick or easy. A trendy diet, pill, or 3-minute workout will not change your life. The only thing that will is your commitment and dedication to living a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle that includes daily moderation in eating and exercise.

The reason why that information is hard to hear, and even harder to impliment, is because it requires us to take responsability for our health and habits - and that can be hard to do! But, I guarantee that doing so will make you stronger - in body, mind and spirit.